The very nature of the Holy
Grail is surrounded by different stories. Some claim that it's the bowl that Joseph used to collect
the blood of Jesus Christ when he was dying on the cross. Others claim that it's the cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper. The search for the
Grail has taken questors around the world, but one of the most enduring legends tells us that it was brought to Britain by Jesus Christ's great uncle, Joseph of Aramithea - a tin merchant who often travelled to Cornwall and Somerset to trade in precious metals. He is thought to have left on a voyage shortly after Christ's death, but this time is thought to have headed to Glastonbury - the Glass Isle he had been sent to find by the Archangel Raphael.To this day, no evidence has been found and the quest continues to some of the most mysterious sites in Britain. In Glastonbury, it is said that the water flows red from the blood of Christ; Tintagel, is supposed to be the birthplace of King Arthur and home to Merlin; and the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, a sacred treasure trove, is thought to closely guard the holy secrets of the Grail. Where does
legend end and history begin?
Buried in GlastonburyMany people believe that Glastonbury is the most likely place where Joseph hid the Holy Grail. He is thought to have sailed with his companions to Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury - where suddenly his staff flourished into a living hawthorn bush, the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. Joseph took this as a sign that this was the destined resting place of the Holy Grail. The 'Glastonbury Thorn' thrives to this day, and unlike any other thorn bush in the country, it flowers every Christmas and Easter. Each December, a flowering branch of the tree is cut off and sent to the Queen.
Back in the 12th century, 30 monks from the Abbey descended into the ancient tunnels underneath Glastonbury in search of the Grail. Only three came out - one struck dumb, and two deranged. The rest, it is said, were claimed by the mysterious forces of the hill. No one ever followed these monks into the labyrinth under Glastonbury, and the tunnels have long since been sealed off as the surface soil has slipped down the sides of the tor. But even today questors still dig for the warren of tunnels beneath Glastonbury, hoping to find the Holy Grail and the remains of Joseph of Aramithea.Others are looking to the springs of Glastonbury, typically to one place where a spring runs red, according to legend, with the blood of Christ. The Chalice Well still exists today, and its water is still red, but the most likely explanation for the colour is the iron deposits in the water. Near to the Chalice Well there is another spring where the water is white - fed by underground caves beneath Glastonbury tor. Some believe that this is a much more likely hiding place where Joseph might have hidden the Holy Grail.
Ancient questors in CornwallApart from the location of the Grail, many questors are drawn to the ultimate questor and legendary ruler of the Britons - King Arthur. He is often presented as a romantic medieval figure and arguments still rage about whether Arthur is a real or a mythical character. The first written reference to King Arthur is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th century book
The History of the Kings of Britain. Most famously, Arthur, stands on the steps of Camelot Castle and dispatches his Knights on a great quest to find the Holy Grail. But the 'real' Arthur, the man who started all the legends, comes from the 5th century, a time with no written history - the Dark Ages.Each year, over a million visitors come to the castle of Tintagel on the north coast of Cornwall in search of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. Some say Tintagel is 'Camelot' - the seat of King Arthur. Some say it belongs to Merlin, the wizard who masterminded Arthur's birth, rise to power and quest for the Holy Grail. The mysterious cave running right underneath Tintagel is said to be Merlin's Cave.
Rions have revealed dramatic new evidence about Tintagel during the 5th century - the time of the 'real' Arthur. Although less than a quarter of Tintagel has been excavated, incredible amounts of Mediterranean pottery have already been found. Could there be some basis for the legend placing Arthur at Tintagel? In 1998, a 5th century drain-cover was unearthed from the castle which bore an inscription that could change legend into history. The inscription translated as "Artnou made this". Is this the clue that historians, writers and grail-hunters have been searching for? Is Artnou, Arthur? Whatever the truth behind the 'Artnou' stone, it has added greatly to the legend.